Hello everyone! Welcome to chapter 83 of Sparks Ignite! The next chapter already! I have a few days off from work so I've kinda been on a roll. So expect a couple chapters over the next few days! As always, I do not own avatar or its characters. Onto the story!

Fate and Destiny are a funny thing. They are so permanent, but yet can be changed by the smallest thing. It can cause the moon and the sun to collide. Or the most opposite Sparks to Ignite.

Chapter 83: The Drill

The crowd's screams were not of excitement anymore.

They furiously moved away from the cracks in the ground. Men grabbed their wives and children and hurried them out of the way.

Zuko quickly grabbed Katara's hand and pulled her back. He knew she could take care of herself, but falling into one of the cracks and succumbing to what was underneath was not a fate he wished to experience for himself or her.

The drill appeared from below the ice and snow, but as soon as it appeared, the engine stopped.

But Katara wasn't surprised when she saw who emerged from the top.

Gilak stood, in full southern water tribe warrior garb, and proudly looked amongst the people.

"Hear me people of the southern water tribe!" he yelled out, "I am Gilak, your true brother!"

"Many of you know me…We've shared meals together! We've bled together in foreign lands! You know that I am blood of your blood and flesh of your flesh!"

Zuko looked at Katara and gave her a look. She had told him of the man who basically tried to kidnap her and her brother, who wanted nothing to do with the reconstruction of the south. He had scolded her for running straight into the trap.

Katara nodded back at him, confirming that this was the man.

"So you must believe me that these two scoundrels from the so-called sister tribe are not here to help us! They are here to subjugate and humiliate us!" he yelled out into the crowd. The people shared confused looks amongst each other. One man even called out asking for an explanation.

"You all know of the oil they discovered in our land…" he began. But Malina stood up and contradicted him, "Oil that will bring prosperity to your people!" she told him.

But Gilak knew of other plans, "Oil they are going to claim for the north!"

The crowd's whispers got louder and more hurried. They were all confused, some were angry.

"That's not true!" Malina countered again. But Gilak still had the upper hand, "I have proof!"

He lifted his hand and in it, was the stolen briefcase.

Maliq shouted in anger at the stolen object. But Malina held him back. They didn't need to start a battle.

"I've read through your documents! I know all about your plan to make the south a colony of the north! You want the northern water tribe to decide how the oil is extracted, what it's used for, and where it is shipped!" he paused, hearing the hushed tone of the crowd, and how they now hung on his every word, "What would the south be, if not a colony?"

"That is not our plan!" Malina shouted, but then she looked down in embarrassment, "But it used to be…"

Katara glared up at the stage, clenching her fists at her side, as she continued, "We never used the word colony… But we were afraid the south wasn't ready to handle such an important resource… But we were wrong!" she told the crowd.

"No! No we weren't!" Maliq yelled. Malina turned to look at him in shock, her words failing her. Maliq stood tall, "I tried to tell you but you wouldn't listen Malina! I never destroyed those documents!"

Malina teared up at her brother, "What?" she asked in shock.

"I never cancelled the plans… You would've found out sooner or later" Maliq said with disdain in his voice, "As would you all, so I may as well tell you now!"

"The man in that… that ridiculous tribal getup speaks the truth" Maliq pointed over to Gilak and yelled to the crowd.

Katara took a step forward to advance at him. But Zuko grabbed her arm and shook his head, "Not yet…"

"Maliq what are you doing?" Malina hurriedly questioned, hoping to talk him down off of this ledge. But he just continued. It was like he was under a spell, and she hadn't seen her brother like this before.

"Once that oil is out of the ground, it will be under northern control!" he yelled, pointing at the factory peaking out in the distance, "It's what has to be done!"

Malina yelled out against her brother, saying his words weren't true. But Gilak was already jumping at this opportunity, speaking over her, "Can you believe the gall of these northerners?" he spoke, "During the war, our blood kept them safe! And as if that wasn't enough, they want our oil to make them rich!"

"You think this is about money?" Maliq asked him, "You have no idea what this oil means, not just for you own little backwards society, but for the world!"

Sokka hugged his child close, throwing glares to the stage. He had once agreed with Maliq. He had seen with his own eyes how machines had given nonbenders a chance to be equal with benders in the factories in the earth kingdom. This oil was the chance for the south to catch up. And the north was going to take that away.

He handed Koda to Suki, setting him gently in her arms. She looked up at him, scared and concerned. Sokka tried to give her a look to comfort her, but he knew that it fell flat.

"This oil changed everything!" Maliq yelled. Malina continued to cry out for his attention, but he wouldn't stop. He continued, "This oil is our pathway to the future of equality! We can't trust the future to a culture so mired in the past!"

Malina was past the point of yelling. She was practically begging him to stop. Everything they had worked so hard for, was ruined. Her whole life that she was trying to build, for them, for Hakoda, was going down the drain.

"You southerners need the oversight of an actual civilization! You all can't even come up with a cohesive set of laws!" Malina finally yelled loud enough to gather his attention. He quieted and looked over to her, and even in his eyes, he knew there was no saving what he had done, even when he didn't admit it.

"People of the southern water tribe…" she began, "I deeply regret the hurt my crew and I have caused. We are stepping down from the southern reconstruction project, effective immediately. We'll leave the south pole first thing in the morning"

They began to move from the stage, but Gilak had other ideas, "Oh no…" he spoke, "After what you've done, you don't get to just leave"

"FOR THE TRIBE!"

They charged towards the stage, their spears raised. The people ran in every direction, trying to get away from the battle, or run towards it and engage. Katara wasn't entirely sure.

Hakoda, from the gate heard the cries and how they quickly changed pitch. He looked behind him and saw the people fleeing.

"They got past us somehow! Men! Come on!" he yelled, running towards the village.

Katara clung to Zuko, trying to not get separated. She scanned the crowd, trying to find Sokka in it. She found his wolftail, sticking out in the crowd. He was pushing past people, calling her name.

"Sokka! Over here!" she yelled, catching his attention. He reached them, out of breath from fighting the crowd. Katara scanned around him, "Where's Suki and the baby?" she asked him, slightly frantic.

"Gran Gran and Gran Pakku took them somewhere safe" he told her. Katara nodded, relieved.

But she sighed, finding it hard to admit this to herself, "Whatever they've done, they don't deserve to die. We gotta help them" she spoke. Sokka nodded, "We should find Dad"

But Zuko shook his head, jumping into action, "There's no time, we need to act fast. He'll catch up" he thought for a split second, then immediately conducted a plan, his practice as Fire Lord coming in handy, "Sokka, try to control the crowd and get them to safety. They'll trust you as their chief to lead them… Katara and I will go help your father's girlfriend and her brother"

Katara and Sokka shared a disgusted look.

"Please don't call her that"

But Zuko paid no mind, springing to action, "Let's go!"

Ta-Daa! I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Stay tuned to see what happens next! Until next time!